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Tuesday, December 8, 2015

National Front party capitalizes on post-Paris
attacks atmosphere, wins six of 13 regions • French pundits say results
prove it "is no longer a pariah party" • Marine Le Pen still faces
uphill battle against Socialists, Republicans in next Sunday's vote.

Front National head Marine
Le Pen speaks to supporters after results of the first round of the
regional elections were announced, Sunday

|

Photo credit: EPA

France's far-right Front National (National
Front) party has been able to propel the sense of outrage over the Paris
attacks into a stunning electoral win in Sunday's opening round of
regional elections.

Exit polls showed that Marine Le Pen's party
has secured six of 13 regions, a historic first, leading French media to
declare that the party, often accused of fear-mongering and promoting
xenophobia, is "no longer a pariah party," and that its victory has
turned the French political landscape upside down.

Exit polls showed Front National with some 30%
of the votes and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's Republicans
with 27% of the votes, while President Francois Hollande's Socialists
were relegated to third place, with 23% of the ballots. According to
France 24 News, voting took place under tight security, the election
clouded by the wariness left in the wake of the gruesome Nov. 13 attacks
that left 130 people dead.

Commenting on the results, Le Pen said they
showed that her party was now the "biggest single political party in
France. It is a magnificent result that we will treat with humility and a
profound sense of responsibility. We are without question the first
party of France. We have the vocation to achieve the national unity that
the country requires."

British media described the results as a
"political earthquake" that may have "ominous implications" for the
resurgence of the far Right across Europe, The Telegraph said.

According to the Guardian, "The spectacular
showing is the highest ever performance for the anti-immigration,
anti-European party and, if it maintains the strong lead in next week's
second round, it could reshape France's political landscape."

Nevertheless, Front National still faces an
uphill battle against the Socialists and the Republicans in second vote,
set for Dec. 13.

"Whether FN can transform its first-round
score into winning control of regions depends in part on how far other
parties are prepared to team up to stop the far right," the Guardian
said.

Controversy over France's immigration policies
and the fear inspired in the wake of the Paris attacks are believed to
be key contributing factors to the far-right party's victory. France is
home to the largest Muslim community in Western Europe, and just last
week Le Pen remarked that if the FN fails, "Islamist totalitarianism
will take power in our country."

Should Le Pen win next Sunday's vote, it will give her a springboard
to a presidential bid in 2017. Political pundits believe her chances of
becoming president remain slim, as all polls suggest that while Le Pen
is likely to reach a two-candidate run-off in May 2017, she has no
chance of assembling 50% of French voters in the second round of a
presidential poll.